Sugarloaf turns on snow guns

The Spillway East chair lift shown here last year, has been replaced at Sugarloaf.

CARRABASSETT VALLEY, Maine — Snowmaking is under way at Sugarloaf ski resort.

Officials at the Carrabassett Valley ski area said more than 40 snow guns were going on Friday as temperatures dropped into the mid-20s.

Snowmaking operations are expected to continue when the temperatures are favorable during the week ahead of the mountain’s scheduled opening this Friday.

Sugarloaf says it has spent more than $4.3 million during the offseason on upgrades that include more than 100 acres of new ski terrain and a new chairlift. The new lift replaces the Spillway chairlifts, where an equipment failure in December caused several chairs to fall to the ground, injuring eight people.